Steve Kerr didn’t sugarcoat it when discussing Kevin Durant’s decision. Talking to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk last week, he said, “I don’t blame Kevin one bit for not wanting to rerun things here. He took so much s— for like, ‘Oh, you’re jumping on the bandwagon.’ And then he’s Finals MVP two years in a row. It’s like he still gets criticized.” No matter what Durant did, the noise never stopped.

That kind of backlash doesn’t just fade. Both Kerr and former Warriors GM Bob Myers believe the relentless criticism from his first stint played a major role in why KD had no interest in coming back. He dominated, won, and still couldn’t shake the narrative. But as it turns out, the truth is much simpler.

Durant’s time with the Golden State Warriors left a lasting mark—both on his career and, quite literally, on his body. Speaking about his eight-year-old mark—the “Just Us” tattoo in Episode 6 of Court of Gold, a tribute to his championship run with the team, Durant reflected on its meaning. “That’s what we used to say when we break the huddle with the Warriors. ‘Just us.’ Got that after the first championship in 2017.”

The phrase still holds weight for him, bringing back memories of those dominant years alongside Stephen Curry and Steve Kerr. “Steve, Steph brings back a lot of memories,”

Well, it looks like the Slim Reaper cherishes his time with the Warriors. But I know you’ll be like “What about Draymond Green?”. Durant shut down the idea that outside criticism kept him from rejoining the Warriors. Talking to ESPN’s Malika Andrews on NBA Today, he made it clear that wasn’t the case.

“People talk crazy about me all the time. That’s not the reason why I didn’t want to come back, I just didn’t want to get traded midway through the season,” Durant said.

Some speculated it had something to do with his history with Draymond or lingering feelings about his time in Golden State. But Durant dismissed all of that. “It was nothing against my time with the Warriors, or I heard it was because I don’t like Draymond,” he explained.

“At the end of the day, I just didn’t want to move, and I wanted to see it through with my team in Phoenix and see what we could do for the rest of the season. So I’m glad I’m still there.”

Durant’s focus remains on finishing what he started in Phoenix, not reliving the past, focusing on the future.

Kevin Durant is still having fun in the NBA

At 36, Kevin Durant knows he’s playing in a young man’s league, but that isn’t stopping him from enjoying the ride. He’s still locked in, still loving the grind.

“I think about it all the time,” Durant told ESPN when asked about his future. “I mean, we’re in a young man’s game. I hear about my age every day. But I’m still having fun preparing for games, preparing for practices, being a teammate. I still enjoy all that stuff. I don’t see an end right now, but it could happen, it could not. But I’m just locked in on the next day.”

Despite trade rumors buzzing before the deadline, Durant made one thing clear—he never planned on leaving. “You gotta ask the front office about that,” he said. “I mean, I never planned on leaving, moving, or getting traded. I didn’t ask for a trade from Phoenix.”

The Suns (26-28) haven’t lived up to expectations, even with Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. When Beal’s massive contract and no-trade clause made him impossible to move, all eyes turned to KD. But was Phoenix really trying to split up Durant and Booker?

That always seemed unlikely. Durant is still putting up elite numbers—27.3 points, six rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks. If the Suns keep struggling, major offseason moves could be coming.

Would that include KD? We’ll see.